In true summer sequel fashion, Palm has replaced the original Tungsten/Tits mainstay PDA for professionalswith the new Palm Tungsten/T2 ($400 street). Unlike as in Hollywood, however, this follow-on is better in almost every way.

For starters, the T2 has double the memory (32MB) of the T. The increased memory pays off quickly. Even after loading all the applications that came on the supplemental software CD, our test unit still had more than 22MB of available storage space.

Palm has also upgraded to a new transflective display. The 320-by-320 resolution is unchanged, but the new screen looks much brighter indoors, and icons look crisper than on the backlit reflective Tungsten/T display. In sunlight, however, the original Tungsten/T is easier to see.

The T2's chassis (4.0 by 3.0 by 0.6 inches, HWD) is identical to the original but for the silver color, and at 5.6 ounces, the T2 weighs just a bit more. As before, for data entry using the Graffiti 2 area and to access the four soft buttons on the sides of the input space, the collapsible case slides open, adding three quarters of an inch to the T2's height.

The USB synchronization and charging cradle is unchanged (a travel charger is a $40 option). The integrated Bluetooth wireless radio also remains on board and now comes with software to support Bluetooth phones using major GSM/GPRS service providers worldwide.

The T2 delivers a whole slew of new software, including the latest Palm OS v5.2.1, new productivity titles, and new communication and entertainment applications. Standard multimedia utilities now include Kinoma Video Player for viewing video files, RealOne Mobile Player for MP3 and Real Audio support, and Palm Photos for digital images.

The integrated speaker won't cause any complaints from neighbors, but the volume from the monaural speaker is sufficient for playback in a quiet office. For better sound, plug stereo headphones (not included) into the standard jack.

If you already own a Tungsten/T, there may be no compelling reasons to replace it with the newer model, unless you often find yourself out of storage space. But if you're looking for a powerful new Palm OS-based PDA with up-to-date software in a compact, highly mobile format, check out the new Palm Tungsten/T2.

Palm's T2 Terminates the Original Tungsten

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About the Author

Bruce Brown, a PC Magazine Contributing Editor, is a former truck driver, aerobics instructor, high school English teacher, therapist, and adjunct professor (gypsy) in three different fields (Computing, Counseling, and Education) in the graduate departments of three different colleges and universities (Wesleyan University , St. Joseph College, and ... See Full Bio

Palm's T2 Terminates the Original Tungsten

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